One week before Bermuda's first single-seat General Election, polls continue to show unprecedented numbers of undecided voters.

Reasons for the indecision vary but what is clear is that the numbers do not necessarily reflect apathy. A number of undecided voters The Royal Gazette spoke to are engaged in the political process and are quite familiar with the issues.

For many the quality of the candidates, political parties and the perception that the two political parties are not that different from each other, are the key factors.

Just as important is the feeling that neither of the parties are offering anything which strikes the right chord - or any chord for that matter.

Shanell Vaughn, a 29-year-old civil servant, has never voted and isn't sure that either one of the candidates in her district - or any of the two main political parties - deserve her support.

"My impression is that the current government has been struggling to find its feet so to speak," she said.

"There are certain key values I aspire to as a person, one of which is integrity which is simply translated as being reliable and accountable... The other thing is self expression. They haven't lived up to my standards of what I feel leaders of a country should practice."

Of the United Bermuda Party, she said: "It wasn't until recently that I even knew what the UBP stands for or what their mandate is. From the past two years, from what I can tell, they have been very reactionary - anything the PLP does or doesn't do they attack and that's no reason for me to vote for the UBP.

She does however have a clear idea of the type of person she would be happy representing her in Parliament.

"Someone who has a real and genuine grasp of the issues and is not in politics for their own self glorification, someone who wants to really affect positive change. They're not concerned about media attention or lining their pockets, they're concerned about doing the work. This is what I feel is lacking."

Ms Vaughn said she has not met either of the two candidates for her district, Smith's South, although she does know PLP candidate Elizabeth Christopher but will not vote for someone simply because she knows them personally.

"I don't plan not to vote, I plan to wait and see if I'm going to be persuaded to vote in one direction or another."

Ms Vaughn said she was concerned about affordable housing and had often thought about the fact that she would never be able to afford her own house in her own country.

But she's not impressed by proposals to build 100 houses. She's also concerned about "young teenagers having children and f***ing up their lives and their children's lives."

While that particular problem had a lot to do with one's home environment, "Bermuda's a boring place for adolescents," and Government should provide some sort of outlet, she said.

Another Smith's South voter who wanted to remain anonymous, offered an unflattering assessment of UBP candidate Cole Simons, saying he had sent constituents an "uninspiring" letter.

As for his opponent Elizabeth Christopher: "I just heard about her the other day. I know nothing other than the fact that she's a lawyer."

The 36-year-old single black woman first voted in the 1998 election which won the Progressive Labour Party the Government. She was off the Island for previous elections.

"My mom and dad voted PLP (automatically). They didn't have to see platforms or anything. When I had a chance to vote I decided not to do that but to look at what was being presented."

She voted PLP because she was convinced that she was helping to transform Bermuda.

"This time I don't feel that way, which is part of my quandary. If an independent was running in my constituency I would vote for them... I don't really think the parties' policies are that much different and so my vote would be more of a statement that I'm unhappy," she said.

"I'm going to vote but when I get there on the day I will have to decide if I'm going to spoil my ballot and vote outside the box, but I'll go."

She does not consider that the PLP has actually made any fundamental changes.

"I felt in 1998 we had an opportunity to really do something spectacular. I remember being so energised and now it's like more of the same. We had that opportunity to really change and we haven't done it - I don't care what Jennifer (Smith) says."

Nor is she moved by the UBP's platform.

"Those issues are important but actions speak louder than words. And because I'm naturally distrustful of politicians it doesn't make it any easier. And this is going to sound immature but I'm really (upset) at the arrogance shown by the PLP."

She also felt that the issues are a lot broader than being articulated by the parties. "It's got to do more with the change in the political climate - it's not necessarily about how we deal with crime or education but where we are as a people."

Key issues for her are nationhood, race, diversity, empowerment and national self-confidence.

"I also think housing and tourism are very important but I don't see any difference in who's going to deal with it. That's why my decision is not based on those issues."

The PLP's historic focus on nationhood held a lot of appeal for this voter.

"Yes, absolutely. It's one of the reasons I voted for them the last time. It was a vibe, something was going to happen and it wasn't the party, it was the people. We voted PLP but a lot of those votes had to do with the fact that the nation needed a change and I think the party was aligned with the issues at the time."

And she said a stronger focus on race and equality would not have happened had the UBP stayed in power. "I saw CURE as a ploy by the UBP to placate black people, then the PLP because of their philosophy, because of their foundation, didn't play lip service to it. They really tried to do something and so we moved, we evolved on things like that. But I do think if I vote for the UBP we wouldn't go back to the way things were," she said.

"And my discontent with the PLP is that they have also demonstrated a lot of lip service because they didn't demonstrate pure leadership and propel us even further than we should be."

Is the UBP capable of doing that?

"I'm not sure. Unfortunately in my opinion they have adopted some of the bad habits of power and that is one of the hindrances of them being change agents. Some of them get caught up and distracted."